All For What!

61

Barging into the house, Sa'eed's gaze trailed towards Maryam, who was seated on one of the couches in the living room and crying her eyes out. Swiftly, he went to her and engulfed her in a gentle hug.

The first rational thought he had was that she was hurt. The way she sat gloomily and in distress, triggered the thought. He pulled back, with his arms still on both her shoulders. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

No response.

"Did she hurt you? Where is she?" He questioned, vividly enraged. He couldn't wait to see the police take her into custody. Manal was finally going to get justice for the despicable things Nafisa made her go through - the realization soothed him more than he thought possible. "See." He pointed to the police officers behind him. "The police are here to take her."

Befuddled by her silence and immobility, Sa'eed's thought drifted to his daughter. "Manal! Where is she?" He questioned and when he didn't get a reply from her, after a minute or so, he rushed upstairs and came back just as quick. "I have checked our room and hers and couldn't find her. Where is she?"

Instead of giving him the reply he so desperately wanted to hear, Maryam continued shedding tears.

"I asked you a question! I won't repeat myself again; where is my daughter?" He asked, trying so hard to keep his impatience and anger at bay.

"She's not here!" She blurted and broke into sobs.

For a moment there, Sa'eed thought he was hallucinating. He couldn't have possibly heard right. "What do you mean? Where is she then?" He deadpanned. "And which room did you lock Nafisa in?"

"They are both not here!" She cried. "Nafisa took her away."

Sa'eed's eyes closed in their own accord. His quivering fists balled into a fist and he fought so hard to keep his anger at bay, by reciting some supplications under his breath. He couldn't believe the nerve of her - after everything she did to them, she still had the effrontery to kidnap their daughter. Under their noses. "Where did she take her to?"

"I don't know." She cried.

"How did she escape and take Manal with her? Where were you?" He queried. "Didn't you tell me you had her locked up?"

"She didn't come alone. Her partner had already kidnapped Manal before I caught her." She explained in tears. "They took my daughter away, habibi."

Sa'eed held his head in between his hands and a groan escaped his lips. "How did Nafisa escape?" He managed to ask although his he could feel his blood boiling with so much hatred for Nafisa. He would admit he didn't like her from the very beginning, but that didn't warrant him to treat her badly. In fact, he always tried to avoid crossing paths with her.

"I... I allowed her leave." She stuttered.

Sa'eed's eyes widened and he swallowed a lump in his throat. His gaze trailed to the police officers in the room and he walked towards them. "My daughter has been kidnapped. Please look for her. I will be with you people at the station shortly."

"Alright, sir." One of the officers replied and they sauntered out of the house.

Maryam stood up and maneuvered towards Sa'eed. She held his hand in hers and turned his face to her, making their gazes meet. "Why aren't you talking, habibi? Please listen to my explanation; I let her go, be-"

Sa'eed's gaze drifted from her face to their linked hands and he untangled his hand from her a little too roughly. "There's absolutely nothing you can say to justify your action!" He boomed. "You allowed her leave? Did you I hear you correctly? Why did you do that?"